How was your experience with Francisco Batres at Arkansas Fertility Center?
He was very upfront with potential success rates, I only felt slightly pushed straight to IVF, which we declined. I have declined cyst aspiration but when I asked questions about risk vs benefit of aspiration, i never got a clear answer. He carefully monitors me and i feel confident he will eventually get me pregnant.
What's one piece of advice would you give a prospective patient of Francisco Batres at Arkansas Fertility Center?
Go somewhere else. But, since they’re the only IVF clinic in the state, you basically have no choice. So, if you do go; Ask questions. If you don't understand, keep asking. Advocate for yourself. Don’t be afraid to get confrontational if needed.
During treatment, were you treated like a number or a human with Francisco Batres at Arkansas Fertility Center?
In the beginning, it felt indivualized, like our case mattered. After 3 failed IUIs, we decided to stop wasting money on IUI and start saving for IVF. That’s when the care stopped. I requested some forms to be filled out for grant applications, and the nurse didn’t do it. I was in the process of changing gynecologist and had requested my records sent to the new doctor, so the nurse refused to fill out the form. I actually won a grant a few months later and needed a medical letter from Dr Batres stating my diagnosis and need for IVF. Again, no one did anything. Messages through the portal were ignored, phone calls not returned. Three days before the deadline, I called and asked for the office manager to leave a complaint on staff. And FINALLY got my medical letter. When IVF is 15-20K, and a patient wins a grant, WHY do the nurses not want to help finialze the financial help! We realized then, that AR Fertility only wants your money and if you get pregnant, then it’s like a bonus to them.
Describe the protocols Francisco Batres used in your cycles at Arkansas Fertility Center and their degree of success.
I have DOR diagnosis. He told me success rates are better with IVF but i wasn't ready to get into that. We started IUI with 100mg clomid and ovidrel trigger. We are about to start cycle 3 doing the same since I respond well to the clomid for a DOR patient.
Describe your experience with the nursing staff.
Awful. Uncaring. Incompetent. Unfriendly.
Describe your experience with Arkansas Fertility Center.
Strength: knowledgeable physicians, centrally located in the state, variety of fertility treatments available
Weakness: reception staff and nurses are not friendly, communication, no completion so no need to be patient centered or caring,
Describe the costs associated with your care under Francisco Batres at Arkansas Fertility Center.
Cost for IUI cycle $1200 includes all appointments, monitoring, and procedure
After 1 IUI cycle, we opted to pay for appointments as we went. I had only needed 1 monitoring appointment before trigger. The billing lady told us paying as we went would cost us more, but it didn’t. Total was $200 less for us. Not everyone would save, maybe, but we did. Run the numbers yourself, don’t take their word for it.
I asked for an itemized cost for IVF, which the person responding to my message, refused to give. She said 15-20K Plus Meds.
What specific things went wrong at Arkansas Fertility Center?